The former education secretary has mistakenly leaked a screenshot of an email chain titled "GE2019 team thoughts" to his Instagram page, just hours after a senior minister denied plans for an early general election.

Damian Hinds' Instagram story - which has since been deleted - displayed an image showing the former minister had been corresponding with others including local Tory volunteer Debbie Curnow-Ford.

The email's subject line "GE2019" - a common abbreviation for general election 2019 - will fuel speculation that the government is planning for an early poll.

Mr Hinds told ITV News Political Correspondent Paul Brand the post was the result of a "a little techno snafu" and insisted there's "nothing to see here".